Come one, come all!
If you haven’t heard of one of Melbourne’s most talked about
restaurants Chin Chin, then you must be living under a rock. Well pull yourself out from whatever excuse you have been hiding under and get yourself down to Chin Chin, it is
certainly the talk of the town. The queues’ each night, and the hours waiting
for a table is a sure sign that you have hit a tastebuds' jackpot!
For those who have been there, Chin Chin definitely hits the
spot.
Chin Chin is the baby, of its owner Benjamin Cooper and dining here is based on the hawker dining halls found throughout most of South East Asia. Put
simply, the dishes are meant for sharing. It has put a modern and quirky twist
to Asian food- indeed as I recently discovered that chin chin is Japanese for ‘penis’.
When compared to most typical Asian restaurants, where the
dishes are big and piled high, those at Chin Chin are comparatively small. But I have
learnt that bigger does not often mean better, and at Chin Chin, while the dishes are small, each dish packs
a flavoursome punch.
Their signature Pork Roll Ups, were an excellent way to
begin the meal. Red braised suckling pig served with pancakes and a ‘slaw’ with
Asian herbs, was a marriage made in heaven. This playful dish came
deconstructed, requiring you to wrap it up yourself. The braised suckling pig
was cooked to perfection, soft and juicy it just melted in your mouth. It was
encased in a pancake that was soft as a pillow, combined with the sourness and fresh crunch provided by the slaw and the herb mix. The roll ups, a twist on your classic
peking duck pancakes, was rounded off wonderfully with the addition of the
sweet plum sauce. A perfect balance of sweet and sour.
If the previous dish was a perfect balance, then the Crispy
Barramundi and Green Apple Salad with Caramelised Pork is enough to send you
into a foodie heaven. This is another signature dish at Chin Chin, and after
having had it twice I can see why people have raved about it. If I had to
describe it in lay terms, I would say that it was sweet and sour taken up
a notch.. or ten...or a thousand! The barramundi was crisp on the outside, yet succulent on the
inside. The fish had been cooked perfectly it simply flaked apart as it should.
It was accompanied by a side of caramelised pork, each peace soft and sweet. Again this
dish came segmented and as per the waiter’s instructions it was meant to be
eaten mixed. What does this mean? A
little fish, some pork and some salad on each spoon were what she said, and it
is what I did. It was absolutely yummy and I would gladly eat it for breakfast
lunch and dinner.
For those with a tolerance for spice and heat, look no
further than the ‘Crying Tiger’ (and cry I did). Chargrilled wagyu with a
chilli tamarind dressing, ground roast rice, fried glass noodles, and holy basil
was enough to make all at the table shed a tear. The dish was rounded off with a good squeeze of lime, providing that much needed acidity to pack a punch in your mouth. [Although I would suggest to not overdo the squeeze of lime, as I was feeling way too generous, and squeezed the lime dry, which was enough to perhaps overpower the entire dish]. Despite this, the dish certainly lived up to
its name. While I found it slightly too spicy- my tolerance for spice has
decreased over the years- it was a good dish. The wagyu beef was cooked to
perfection, seared and golden on the outside, yet still wonderfully soft and melted in your mouth. The tamarind sauce is just that, it was sour and spicy. The addition of the greens, basil and the noodles and rice provided the extra touches to complement the wagyu and sauce beautifully.
There is an abundance of alcoholic drinks on offer at Chin
Chin, and if the thickness of the drinks menu is anything to go by, you won’t
be short on choice. They serve everything from beer, to wine and to their wide
selection of cocktails. A particular favourite of mine, and one I order each
time I have gone there, is their Ice Crush (pictured above). The ingredients that go in this
drink changes on a daily basis, and I have experienced crushes that blend ginger to mint
to coconut, and mint to apple to lychee. It is a generous drink that can be served with
the addition of vodka or without, depending on your heart's content. Order one on your next visit to Chin Chin
and provide your tastebuds with a cooling and refreshing favour.
If you’re like me, reading the descriptions of the dishes on
offer is enough to make you salivate. My curiosity at its immediate popularity
is what attracted me to Chin Chin initially, but it is definitely the food that will make
me go back time and time again. The food, service, decor and ambience has me hooked- line and sinker.
For those who have been to Chin Chin you will know what I am
talking about, from the flavoursome food, to the ambience and even to the
quaint Pimsleur-esque Chinese playing in the bathrooms Chin Chin just ticks all
the right boxes.
And for those who haven’t had the chance to go there yet, do not be
swayed by the long queues and the projected long wait, persevere and hold out
for what is surely to be one of the best feeds you will ever have.
Chin Chin
125 Flinders Lane
Melbourne
